Have you ever seen one of those amazing ballroom dance contests?  I am always so impressed with the fluid motion, grace, and pure unity of the dancers.  It is not like I watch them all the time, or participate in a fantasy ballroom dance league, but I do truly appreciate the art.  They make it look so effortless, but I know different.

Susan and I took a couple of ballroom dance classes.  It was a really fun date night activity and I would highly recommend it. (All you guys can thank me later for throwing you under the bus-lol)  But one of the things I learned is that staying in step was really tough. At first you learn a basic pattern.  Deviation from the pattern almost always leads to complete chaos.  I also learned that one has to lead and the other follow.  The leader has to know how to indicate what is coming next.  The follower has to sense or read the signals as to when to turn and what direction. Unclear leading or unclear reception of the signals also leads to complete chaos.  At first, that is what happened more often than not.  But with more instruction, more practice, more time spent, we learned to how to stay in step. 

Paul says that if we walk by the Spirit (that is being empowered by the Spirit) we should stay in step with the Spirit.  It doesn’t come naturally or instinctually, in fact, just the opposite.  We have to learn to follow, instead of doing what we want.  It  takes instruction, and a lifetime of practice, but the results are amazing.

 This week at church we will talk about what happens in our lives, as we learn to walk in step with the Holy Sprit and the beauty of the fruit it produces.